The Vera Bradley x New Hope Girls collection will include a hobo bag ($55) and travel pouch ($15). Both styles were designed and sewn by New Hope Girls artisans and feature a colorful Vera Bradley floral print created exclusively for the partnership. In addition, Vera Bradley will donate $25,000 to New Hope Girls.

“Empowering women and caring for those in need has been at the heart of Vera Bradley’s culture since the very beginning, so there is great synergy between our brand and what New Hope Girls is doing to improve the lives of women and girls in the Dominican Republic,” noted Rob Wallstrom, CEO of Vera Bradley. “Vera Bradley couldn’t be happier to support New Hope Girls and bring awareness to their organization with our Vera Bradley x New Hope Girls collection in celebration of International Women’s Day.”

Vera Bradley’s friendship with New Hope Girls began in 2016 when the Company helped the organization renovate its on-site shipping containers into a fully-equipped, self-sustaining industrial sewing workshop that currently employs seven sewers. The Company continues to champion New Hope Girls’ cause by offering ongoing business mentoring.

“Since our very beginning, a facility of our own was something we prayed for and dreamed of. In 2016 we were able to realize that dream with the help of Vera Bradley. Our workshop is so much more than just the place where our New Hope Girls product is produced. It has become a sacred space for our women to come and grow not only as artisans, but also as individuals who are in their own process of transformation and beauty,” said Joy Reyes, Executive Director of New Hope Girls.

“Every woman and girl that enters our care has a ‘before’ and an ‘after.’ Each one is a powerful testimony of healing and hope. When you buy a New Hope Girls bag, you become part of our story and help us rescue girls and empower women,” Reyes added.

Vera Bradley x New Hope Girls will be available in Vera Bradley stores and on verabradley.com beginning Friday, March 8. For more updates on Vera Bradley, follow the brand at @VeraBradley on Instagram and Twitter.

ABOUT VERA BRADLEY, INC. Vera Bradley is a leading designer of women's handbags, luggage and travel items, fashion and home accessories and unique gifts. Founded in 1982 by friends Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia R. Miller, the brand's innovative designs, iconic patterns and brilliant colors continue to inspire and connect women unlike any other brand in the global marketplace. The Company's commitment to bringing more beauty into women's lives includes its dedication to breast cancer research through the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer in which they have raised over $30 million to date. For more information about Vera Bradley, visit www.verabradley.com.

ABOUT NEW HOPE GIRLSNew Hope Girls is a non-profit organization that provides jobs for vulnerable women and refuge for girls rescued out of the darkest places in the Dominican Republic. Women sew and create beautiful bags in the New Hope Girls workshop, with 100% of the proceeds supporting the New Hope Girls safe house. The organization’s mission is to “create a place of light and life for girls and women from dark and difficult places, restoring identity and purpose for the future.” For more information about New Hope Girls, visit www.newhopegirls.co or follow at @newhope.girls on Instagram and New Hope Girls on Facebook.